Chapter Twelve. Dealing with Resistance
You’re going to run up against those who are less than enthusiastic about the innovation. Some of these are hardliners, but most are just hesitant. Usually we tend to avoid these roadblocks, but we need to see them in a more positive light. Fear Less(151), Bridge-Builder(110), Champion Skeptic(116), Corridor Politics(126), and Whisper in the General’s Ear(248) will help you overcome resistance.
We have a colleague, a sturdily built, strong-willed individual we’ll call “Michael.” He’s very bright and takes great pains when he presents something new at meetings. He does a thorough job of arguing his case, but if someone disagrees with any of his points, he often flies off the handle and storms out of the room muttering, “These people are morons!”
Do you know Michael or someone just like him? We all face resistance on many levels, but we usually don’t see it as a good thing. Yet it forces us to be realistic about our brilliant ideas. It leads us to see all sides, if we are open to hearing what critics have to say.
In The Passionate Organization, James Lucas observes:
Every idea has flaws. There are no perfect plans. Pressure reveals clearly where we are missing wisdom, truth, knowledge, information, data, or passion. It provides an opportunity to fill in the gaps, stop the game until we can learn the rules, or quit the game entirely. The usual response is to scapegoat: Who messed up our plan? The classier and passionate response is to grow: How do we find what we’re missing?[*]
Of course, all this is easier said than done. To help, we provide a few patterns for dealing with resistors. The first, Fear Less(151), urges you to use the skeptics as resources. As Stephen Covey suggests, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” Listen with an open mind to those who don’t think your idea is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Many times these people can be more help to your cause than your most fervent supporter. They can help you broaden the appeal to more than just the Innovators. Listen to them; take notes. Like good lawyers, use this data to anticipate questions and prepare answers for presentations.
As one scientist explained:
I used to believe that if my ideas were valid, then “killer experiments” could be done that would be so persuasive they would sweep away all opposition and quell every argument. That reflected my idealized view of science—that scientists are completely rational creatures who, when faced with data, respond as objectively as a computer and “do the right thing.” I no longer believe this, because I have learned that my idealized image of science was wrong. Scientists are not unemotional computers. They can be as biased and ornery as anyone else, particularly when venturing outside their field. As one respected scientist said when asked to review a scientific paper, “This is the sort of thing I would not believe, even if it were true.”[*]
Popular inspirational author Brian Biro observes, “In our culture we are conditioned to push differences away. When we speak of having differences with another person it means we are in conflict, not getting along. This cultural conditioning often leads to a position of defensiveness and distrust.”
But consider how silent resistance can be more difficult to overcome than vocal resistance. Don’t you feel better when you’ve had a chance to voice your criticism? We all want our side of the story to be told. We all want to feel that our input matters. We all have a point of view that can help others understand the larger issues. The pattern Fear Less advises us to hear the other side and take the message to heart. No idea is perfect. We need to learn as we go and what better way than by hearing from everyone around us.
Build Bridges
Sometimes, however, resistance has nothing to do with the idea and everything to do with the proponent of the idea. You need help from others to make inroads, and overcoming resistance is definitely one of those areas where outside support is critical. Using the pattern Bridge-Builder(110) to find the right person to “adopt” a skeptic can allow you to reach those who don’t find you credible. Eric Saperston, the creator of the film The Journey, said, “I don’t claim to be an expert. I want to be a conduit between people in my generation and the one before.”
This pattern requires us to take a realistic view of ourselves. We have to accept that we’re not perfect and that in some settings we are not credible. Mary Lynn remembers when one Evangelist of a new initiative in her organization tried to convince her to be a part of it. “Look,” she said, “I need you. People know you and like you and so you can convince them when I can’t.” This Evangelist was aware of how important a bridge-builder was for the initiative—she accepted the fact that she couldn’t reach everyone and understood the value in asking for help from others who could reach a wider community.
Sometimes you’re held back because you’re the new kid on the block. Whatever it is about your experience or your personality, realize that you are not the idea and ask for help from someone who has the required credentials. The helper can build a bridge to the skeptic and bring him over to your side.
A Champion Skeptic
Being open to resistance allows you to examine it honestly and fairly. As Henry Ford noted, “If there is any one secret to success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.” To make sure you have the objections of the skeptics before you, use the pattern Champion Skeptic(116). Recognize the contribution of a person who is good at looking at the negative side by officially giving him that duty. Tom DeMarco recommends this in his book Slack:
You have to directly acknowledge the Can’t Do possibilities. One solution is to have a Can’t Do specialist. Explain at the outset, “Lillian is our Can’t Do specialist, our risk manager. It’s her job to focus on the uglies, all the could-go-wrongs that might interfere with our plans. All the rest of you will succeed if you achieve your ambitious goals. Lillian succeeds if she warns me of every possible eventuality that might reasonably be expected to thwart us. She fails if I get blindsided by anything she hasn’t warned me about.”[*]
You can go overboard with this. Select a Champion Skeptic carefully to make sure you’re not creating a monster. Some people can really get into this role and make your life miserable. It takes creativity to use this pattern wisely.
It’s All About Politics
When there are important decisions to be made, consider the pattern Corridor Politics(126). Politics are here to stay, and experienced change agents know that before a big vote is taken they should contact each individual who is voting to address any concerns or questions. Sometimes all it takes is a few words in the hallway. Start by talking to those who are more open, and when you have them on your side, use this to leverage influence with those who are more resistant. Don’t make any promises you can’t keep and always remember the important pattern Just Say Thanks(183) for support. All of this effort before a vote will help to ensure that things will go your way.
Mary Lynn understands very well what can happen when you don’t use this pattern. She still has unpleasant memories of sitting in a committee meeting and listening to the members chew up and spit out a new idea she had just presented. The thought ringing in her head was, “Gee, I know better. I should have used Corridor Politics!”
In addition to Corridor Politics, use the pattern Whisper in the General’s Ear(248) to convince reluctant managers. It’s been said that gaining management confidence is 70% politics and 30% facts. The primary reason for using this approach is to begin to build a relationship with a high-level manager. While he may never become an enthusiastic supporter, at least he is less likely to block your efforts. High-level management may be sensitive to asking questions in front of others. Meet with the manager in his office at his convenience and promise that you will keep the conversation in confidence. Protect his vulnerability. If you succeed, he may come to rely on you in the future. This pattern, when properly used, can give you an enormous advantage.
We heard from one Evangelist who said:
I like the way these patterns for skeptics all fit together. Here’s how I use them on my team when I want to bring in something new. I talk with Brian and Don one-on-one. I use Fear Less—I listen and work their suggestions into my plan. When they’re satisfied, I use Bridge-Builder because Brian is a good buddy of Tom and Paul, and Roger respects Don. This is also a bit of Corridor Politics because now I can bring up the idea in a team meeting and it flies. It’s never unanimous because there’s always Steve. Nothing much works with him but he really likes being the Champion Skeptic. If he gets too rowdy, we let him have it, but it’s amazing how many good ideas he comes up with when he knows we will take him seriously rather than treating him like a bozo. And Whisper in the General’s Ear—I save that for when we really need our team lead to back us up. He’s a good guy, but he doesn’t always understand the technical details. I just have a quiet minute with him and I never mention it to the rest of the guys. It works.
Good luck with those skeptics! Above all, listen to them so that you can use their ideas to help rather than to hinder you.
Now that all the patterns have been introduced, we hope you’re encouraged to read the experience reports in Part II from other Evangelists who used our patterns—whether they knew it or not. These stories will give you more ideas about how these patterns work together to introduce new ideas in a variety of environments.